Many Happy Returns

Kevin and Clerow met me at the Airport in Philadelphia....I was glad to see both of them, but I didn't want to hear what I knew was coming.

"Welcome back Doctor...So when is the big day?" asked Clerow.

"Aint gonna be one." I said dryly..

"No....What happened? Better yet....I don't even want to know." said Kevin.

"What? The great investigator aint curious?" I said sarcastically.

"No, but since I know you're going to tell me anyway...what did happen?" asked Kevin.

"Inquiring minds want to know huh? She had another boyfriend when I got out there." I said.

"Oh...well damn Robert....It aint like you didn't have someone on the side too...Did she know about Bonita?" asked Kevin.

" She had a girlfriend too." I added dryly.

"Ouch...." said Clerow.

"Ohhh.....well, you know how them musicians are." said Kevin as he drove me to my house.

I thanked them both and then poured myself some flat Coke that was in the refrigerator and some Jack Daniels and collapsed in my comfortable chair....I drifted off to sleep............

That afternoon, I showered and shaved and put on one of the suits I bought a few weeks ago that I hadn't worn and headed out to Josie's..... A night in Josie's was always special....I saw them all there...Kevin, Sepia, Cock Robbins, His wife Vanessa, Clerow, his wife Corabeth, Chess and his wife, Rell, Sean Jackson, his fiance, Sheila, Conrad Nelson and his wife, Jill....All em had wives and or fiances...Where was mine?

I saw Chance Howard and Corabeth's sister, Anita, Blake and Cherish, Paris and some girl, "88" and Mabel Jenkins and Reed Nelson and Debbie... They were all glad to see me and even happier to know that I was home in Philly to stay....

It seemed that everyone was out tonight....This was surprising because Symphony Sam and his
quartet was playing...He didn't usually pull out such a crowd...but they were out tonight...I guess nobody felt like being inside tonight... I saw Chris Thompson, Donald Smooth and Roscoe and Fathead Newton at the bar drinking and jiving with Gus the bartender.....

To think, I was willing to give all of this up, All of them up for Brooke....I must have been crazy...This was home, this was where I belonged....

"Well Hello Robert." came a familiar voice. It was Bonita Turner.

"Hey Girl, how you been?" I said.

"The question is, how have you been?" she asked.

"I been a damn fool is what I been." I said.

"Heard you was moving out west and was gettin married....This was news to me , Cause I know we didn't have nothin formal..but I thought we was at least close enough that you woulda told me...I mean like ,damn Robert." she said.

"Bonita...I aint gettin married and I'm not movin nowhere....I'm here to stay...I just kind of got side tracked, is all." I said.

"You mean turned out huh? " she laughed...

"Yeah, somethin like that....I went out there to surprise her and I got surprized..." I said.

"Ouuuuu, she had another fella huh?" asked Bonita.

"Yeah and a girlfriend." I said.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh, wow....You don't be ridin tame do you Robert?" she laughed.

"Nah, never that." I said , smiling for the first time.

"Poor baby...let me buy you a drink." She said.

"No Bonita....I'm gone buy you a drink.....I owe you baby." I said.

"Hey Gus...Anything she wants..double...on me." I said. Gus smiled and winked at us....

Kevin nudged Clerow who nudged Sean.....They raised their glasses to me. I heard Chris say to Chess "Hey man, he back.....and operatin already." Fathead, Roscoe ,Donald Smooth and Ralph Mole all smiled and raised their lglasses....None of them knew how happy that made me feel... We were all family....and this was home....

"So Robert..Where does that leave me and you?" asked Bonita.

"That leaves us where we left off...I-I mean if you want it that way.." I said.

"Fine with me...but one day I'm gone want somethin more." she said.

"That's fair.." I said.

"Let's go back to my place." I said in her ear..

"Damn Robert....after all you been through and you want to do that? You're better than me..but after all, you a man...." she smiled.

"No...I want to sleep with you." I said.

"Robert,I know that." she said.

"No.....not sex...I just want to go to sleep in your arms." I said.

"What? You serious?" she asked.

"Yeah...I'm tired." I said.

"Okay!"

"I love you Bonita." I said and kissed her.

"I love you too Robert." she whispered... "You're my friend." She returned the kiss...it lingered a little longer than we both expected..From the corner of my eye I saw Chris Thompson and Gus shaking their heads and laughing...It wasn't what they thought...I wasn't that guy anymore....Well,at least not tonight.

"Yeah.. You're my friend" I said to Bonita. "Let's Get out of here."

We left Josies together.....We went back to my place.....We drank a little Jack Daniels and Coke ... Alright, we did have sex...but it wasn't long....and that night, I curled up in Bonita's arms and fell asleep..The most peaceful sleep I'd had in a long long while....I was home.

To date , I've missed 118 calls from Brooke...I haven't answered a one of em.


(For the City of Philadelphia)